New Year resolution: Five weird driving habits you should ditch in 2023

  • Some of these driving habits have become so common that, despite being punishable under traffic rules, often go overlooked on Indian roads.
As sunroofs become more popular among Indian car buyers, people are also seen sticking out of sunroof of a moving car.
As sunroofs become more popular among Indian car buyers, people are also seen sticking out of sunroof of a moving car.

When it comes to driving habits, Indians do not fare well due to some of their unique nature which one would not see in most parts of the world. Besides the casual approach towards traffic rules like adhering to road signals, driving on the right side of the road or even wearing seat belts, Indian drivers have weird driving etiquettes too. Some of these are not only harmful for themselves, but also for others on the road. While a lot of people make New Year resolutions, we thought it best to highlight some of these driving habits one should consider ditching when 2023 arrives.

Driving under influence of alcohol/drugs

Car-o-bar is actually a word in India where commuters often use their vehicles like a pub. One can find people using the boot space of their cars as the bar and have a drink on public road. What is even more dangerous is driving under influence of alcohol, or drinking while driving. While the advisory has been floated a numerous times by authorities, incidents of drunken driving has not subsided. In fact, drunken driving or driving under influence is the third biggest reason behind road accidents in India. New Year is probably the best time to ditch the habit for the safety of everyone on the road.

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Use of cellphones behind the wheel

Using phones to attend calls or text someone while being behind the wheel is another weird habit common among drivers in India, despite this being punishable under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. It is always advisable to avoid it, even with bluetooth headphones on to allow handsfree calls, to help one concentrate on the road better. Texting while driving is definitely a habit that poses threat to other vehicles around. It is like driving blind once you take your eyes off the road. Even slowing down or moving to the slowest lane in a corner is not an excuse to attend phone calls or text someone on the move. In case of emergency, one should pull over to do so.

Use of high beam unnecessarily

Getting blinded by bright lights from oncoming cars is a regular occurrence on Indian roads, especially on highways. Several drivers prefer to put their headlights on high beam without worrying how it may affect the others coming from opposite direction. It also poses threat of possible accident in case the oncoming vehicle cannot spot your vehicle through the rush of high beam lights. High beams from vehicles behind also causes the driver in front inconvenience as it reflects through the IRVMs inside the car.

Poking out of sunroof of a moving car

While cars with sunroof and moonroof are gaining popularity in India, one often wonder if there is any actual use of this feature in climatic conditions such as ours. Weirdly enough, Indian commuters have found a use for these sunroofs which are actually dangerous. Sticking out of an open sunroof while on the move, especially children, has become a common site across India. People often tend to overlook the threat that may come with sudden braking or any flying object. Sudden braking will hurl the person on the sunroof out of the car and cause serious injury, if not death in extreme cases.

Using pavements/wrong turns for short cut

Long traffic jams are part of life in India, especially in the major cities. But some drivers have lesser patience than others in their rush to reach respective destinations. Two-wheelers, even cars, often take short cut routes or tactics to avoid heavy traffic and cause inconvenience for others. Using pavements to bypass heavy traffic, or turning dead square against incoming traffic to head back while facing jam are some of the more common examples of these. Such actions not only could lead to more traffic snarls, but can also lead to accidents as well.

First Published Date: 31 Dec 2022, 09:14 AM IST
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